Continuing from my last post, here's more of my favourite maps created by the students of the Maryland Institute of Art...
















Janna and the World of Wonderful Shoes by Janna Morton

Janna's colourful map of shoes...

"It is hard for me to be sure at this time in my life where I belong geographically and/or emotionally, but one thing I can be certain of is the fact that I belong in wonderful shoes! With an 11 wide shoe size, thick calves, a tiny budget, and a penchant for the bright and unusually obnoxious, I have a lot of difficulty finding agreeable footwear. Everything is either too tight or too loose or too boring or too sporty! In my dreams, however, I walk in forests of De Stijl flats, breakfast-themed high tops, and kitten heels (adorned with actual kittens!) and every shoe fits me better than Cinderella’s glass slipper."

Forest Memory Map by Meghan Walsh

I really love Meghan's delicate and detailed map of the forest behind her house...

"I have always felt most at home in the forest behind my house. It was always a place I could escape to during my childhood and the possibility of having a place where I could be alone and have adventures was very freeing for me. My dog would escape my house and I would always have to be the one to capture her, so I've mapped out the routes on which I've chased her. This map is meant to portray this forest as I remember it, so I have drawn different portions from different viewpoints to more accurately show how this place exists in my memory.

"Recurring Dream from my Childhood by Caleb Lin

Great underwater colours in Caleb's map...

"When I was in elementary school I had a recurring dream where I would be drowning and a lifeguard would come and rescue me. Once I learned how to swim in the 3rd Grade the dream altered so that the same lifeguard would be drowning, and I would rescue her.The more memorable part of this dream, however, was the fact that it was set on the rocky California coast, where I grew up. In this dream I had an underwater home carved right into the rock, and the entrance was hidden deep underwater and functioned like that of a beaver’s den. This dream was a favorite of mine because I guess it fulfilled fantasies of being a hero, having superhuman swimming ability, and having my own secret hiding place."

It's Really Frustrating by Sarah Straub

Sarah maps the process of making her map, and in turn creates a journey of frustration...

There comes a point in every semester where you are given an assignment that causes your brain to just cut its losses, power down and cut up the power cord. At the ripe old age of 22, I don't really "belong" anywhere geographically, but instead I belong to my mind and its twisted route of frustration. So with this particular task, I mapped out and listed some of the phrases that trampled up and down my cranium when I'm stuck. Hence, we have a map of frustration. And if this map was not frustrating enough, consider this: just prior to getting the title in, the file corrupted and I had to re-finish it, resurrecting it from its festering grave from a pdf.

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A big thanks to all the students who took part in the assignment and to Rebecca Bradley for helping the collaboration take place.

Keep an eye on all of the work created by the MICA illustration students by following their blog here: http://micamaps.blogspot.com/

Earlier this year, I worked with Rebecca Bradley at MICA in Baltimore on the Maps project for her illustration class.

Each of the students produced fantastic and original maps and I was totally blown away by the standard of the work.

Here's a selection of my favourites...

Icons of the American Outdoors by Mitchell Goodrich

Mitchell created this amazing map of the American outdoors. Being a bit partial to outdoor living myself, I was instantly attracted to the theme and drawing style of this map.

"It is not in the "Great American Outdoors," as a geographical location, that I find a sense of belonging; rather it is in the image of this imagined landscape. My comfort dwells in nostalgic associations, such as hot-dogs and hamburgers cooking atop a grill, as symbols of family vacation. This image is an attempt tocompile several vibrant icons representative of the American materialization of the outdoors. Exclusive of the real-life annoyances of actually inhabiting the "natural world" is the comfortingimage of the idealized American landscape."

Where I Belong in 10 Years by Jilly Yoffe

Jilly's map is one which imagines her future country retreat, complete with letterpress studio out the back!

"This map is the mental plan I have for my future home. Thinking of this place always makes me feel at peace. This imagined home is on a small farm with plenty of space for my dog to run, and in a house that has plenty of room for my favorite material things (books, records, art supplies). This place will be my sanctuary."

Sailing the Open Ocean on a Piece of Driftwood by Danie Drankwalter

I really liked Danie's map of a raft, which contains everything she needs to sail the world...

"Sailing the Open Ocean on a Piece of Driftwood. How great would that be? No obligations, just a fishing pole and a tent. I don’t even eat fish! My suitcase would be a large infinite magical suitcase in which Everything I Need would be among its contents, regardless of if I packed it. I could visit my friends all over and make new ones along the way! The garden would do wonderfully most of the year on the sunny seas, though upon entering colder climates a hoop-house can be erected. The watchtower is both for looking out for pirates (or friends) as well as reading in the sun."

Bel Air, Maryland Map by Kristin Nohe

Kristin's maps her hometown according to the places she's at the most...

"This is a map of my hometown, Bel Air, Maryland. I don't know that I belong here forever, but so far that is where I have spent the majority of my life and obviously have the most meaning to me. I haven't included everything in my town, but only the places that I frequent or have special meaning to me, and the roads that I take regularly. Important places on my map include my house, my boyfriend's house, Spenceola Antiques(my former place of work), and the parks that I frequent."

Map of a small section of the Internet by Aimee Fleck

Aimee has mapped the unmappable...

"My map is of part of the internet-- a "place" I spend a lot of time. I think everyone sees it somewhat differently-- I often picture it as a library, partially because of the overwhelming amount of knowledge and media you can find there, but also because I find libraries comfortable. It's a small section of the internet because I think that no matter how long you spend there, everyone kind of sees only their own corner of it: thus, a small section of the large "series of tubes" that some say make up the internet."

See more work from the class here: http://micamaps.blogspot.com/search/label/assignment%202